National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
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Craig-cefn-parc: Sunday School, Miners and Cobbler
Cake tins and cricket bats (and stumps) are carried along in the Elim Chapel Sunday School parade, indications of good things to come!
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Overview
Everyone is turned out in their best – and wearing coats in June – for the Elim Chapel Sunday School parade that wends its way along a road in Craif-cefn-parc, Swansea. The fact that some people are carrying cake tins and others cricket bats and stumps suggests fun to come! Joe Ivor Davies (1906-92), who filmed his community across decades, also shows miners coming home from work, the cobbler at his door with fine brogue in hand, the grocer's shop assistant and girls with pram.
Life as it once was: miner with lamp, cobbler with shoe, boys with cricket bats, girls with aprons and pram. The Elim (Baptist) Chapel Sunday School parade takes place on 6th June 1949, according to the inter-title, the same day as the Pantycrwys (Welsh Congregationalist or Independent) Chapel Sunday School parade, footage of which is included in the film entitled 'Craig-cefn-parc: Sunday School and new baby'. The miners seen would have been employed at the local colliery – Clydach Merthyr (also known as Nixon's), scenes at which are included in the film entitled 'Craig-cefn-parc – mine, school and Christmas cake'.
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